Fifty-Nine American Peace Corps Volunteers to Work in Education in Thirty-One Districts in Tanzania

HomeHome | News & Events | Fifty-Nine American Peace Corps Volunteers to Work in Education in Thirty-One Districts in Tanzania

American Peace Corps Trainees, led by one of their own playing the guitar, perform an original song at a swearing-in ceremony at U.S. Embassy Dar es Salaam on September 16, 2015. (Photo: U.S. Embassy Dar es Salaam)

Dar es Salaam, TANZANIA. U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania Mark Childress swore in this morning at U.S. Embassy Dar es Salaam 59 new Peace Corps Volunteers, launching their two-year tours of service in Tanzania. The swearing-in ceremony was attended by Dr. Edicome Cornel Shirima, the Assistant Director of the School Quality Assurance Division at the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, Tanzania Peace Corps Country Director Dr. Elizabeth O’Malley, former Peace Corps Volunteers from around the world, and officials from partner government and volunteer agencies.

In his remarks, Ambassador Childress told the new Peace Corps Volunteers “One of my favorite words that I hear all the time in Tanzania is pamoja, because it represents the spirit of collaboration between our two nations, and amongst Tanzanians. And now, as you’re starting this odyssey with your Tanzanian friends and partners, I can tell you it’s going to be an incredible adventure that you will all go through pamoja.”

In his address to the new Volunteers, Dr. Shirima echoed the Ambassador’s comments, telling them to “Work hard, do good things, be passionate, love your experiences and put the best face forward to the Tanzanian people. After all, you will be out there with them, hand in hand, through the thick and the thin. Enjoy your time in Tanzania.”

Peace Corps Director Elizabeth O’Malley said “On behalf of Peace Corps Tanzania, I wish to recognize the great cooperation we continue to enjoy from the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania, both Zanzibar and Mainland, specifically from the Ministries of Education and Vocational Training, Public Service Management at the President’s Office, TAMISEMI, and Ministry of Health. I would particularly like to thank the District Education Officers, and again, the Heads of School who provide such support to our staff and Volunteers.”

The American volunteers will serve their students, schools and communities through direct classroom teaching and projects involving, for example, nutrition, life skills and healthy living, environment, and literacy. The volunteers’ two-year tours of service will also support Tanzania’s efforts to increase the number of math, science and English teachers in rural areas.

Founded in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy, the Peace Corps is a U.S. Government agency that supports about 8,000 volunteers in more than 75 countries. For 48 years, Peace Corps has maintained apolitical and non-sectarian ideals of technical and cultural exchange. More than 189,000 volunteers have served in 138 countries. Peace Corps promotes world peace and friendship by fulfilling three fundamental goals:

Providing American volunteers who contribute to the social and economic development of interested countries;

Promoting a better understanding of Americans among the people who volunteers serve; and

Strengthening Americans’ understanding of the world and its peoples.

More than 2,000 Peace Corps Volunteers have served in Tanzania since 1962. The Peace Corps provides trained American volunteers who work with communities in the fields of secondary education (math, science, and information and communications technology), health promotion, and environmental education.